Cirencester Crime Rate December 2023 | Monthly Statistics

Cirencester’s December 2023 crime profile reveals a distinct balance between violent and property crimes, shaped by the area’s character as a market town within the Cotswold region. The overall crime rate of 4.9 per 1,000 residents—31.9% below the UK average—highlights the area’s relatively low exposure to crime compared to national trends. The most common category, violence and sexual offences (38.4% of total crimes), remains 27% below the UK average for that category, suggesting a combination of community policing efforts, lower population density, and the town’s historic role as a quieter, slower-paced market hub. This contrasts with criminal damage and arson, which account for 15.1% of local crimes—25% above the UK average. The disparity may be linked to the town’s concentration of older, historic buildings, which could be more susceptible to vandalism or require more frequent maintenance during colder months. Anti-social behaviour, at 12.8% of reported crimes, is 35% below the UK average, reflecting the area’s strong sense of community and local initiatives to address disruptive conduct. Seasonal factors also play a role: December’s crime mix aligns with the impact of holiday shopping, reduced evening foot traffic, and the temporary closure of some businesses during the festive season. These patterns illustrate how Cirencester’s unique mix of rural and urban characteristics, combined with seasonal dynamics, influences the types and frequencies of crimes recorded.

December 2023 saw a striking 100% increase in theft from the person, rising from zero to two incidents. This spike, though small in absolute terms, may reflect heightened vigilance during holiday shopping or the movement of transient populations. Conversely, shoplifting fell sharply by 68.4% (from 19 to 6), possibly due to reduced retail hours or fewer customers in stores during the festive season. The crime mix also reveals notable UK comparisons: while violence and sexual offences (38.4% of total crimes) remain the most common category, they are 27% below the UK average. In contrast, criminal damage and arson (15.1% of local crimes) sit 25% above the national rate, suggesting local factors—such as the town’s historic architecture or seasonal property maintenance challenges—may contribute to this disparity. These shifts underscore how seasonal rhythms and local demographics shape crime patterns in Cirencester.

Cirencester's December 2023 crime rate of 4.9 per 1,000 residents represents a 40.3% decline from the prior month’s rate of 8.2 per 1,000. This drop aligns with typical seasonal patterns, where reduced foot traffic during winter holidays may dampen opportunities for certain crimes. On a daily basis, the area recorded approximately three crimes per day in December, a figure that contextualises the monthly total of 86 incidents. When scaled to the population of 17,646, this translates to one reported crime occurring for roughly every 205 residents over the course of the month. While this monthly exposure rate is relatively low compared to national averages, it reflects a combination of local characteristics—Cirencester’s status as a market town with a mix of residential and commercial zones, and the seasonal lull in activity during December. The population-scaled perspective also highlights that the area’s crime burden remains proportionally lighter than many UK regions, potentially influenced by community cohesion, policing strategies, or the town’s geographic isolation from high-crime urban centres.